Intergenerational Support and Old Age in Africa
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 2017
Place of publication: Milton
Language: eng
Number of pages: 224
ISBN-13: 9781351511988
Subjects: Older people; Economic conditions; Intergenerational relations; Personnes âgées; Conditions économiques; Relations entre générations
Description: "In most societies, of the world, including in Africa, responsibility for the material support of older people, unable to sustain themselves through work or investments, has originally resided with their younger generational family members - especially their adult children. Aboderin explores this topic specifically for Africa. In the wake of social or economic change, societies experience shifts in the degree in which families support their elders. Questions about the proper balance of family and state responsibilities, however, persist, especially in the light of socio-demographic trends and constraints in public expenditure. In most of sub-Saharan Africa, in contrast to other world regions, economic security policies for older people have not yet been formulated, despite declines in material family support along with rising poverty to which a growing elderly population is particularly exposed. In part, this betrays the crucial lack of understanding about how and why these shifts in support have occurred in African societies - and, thus, a profound uncertainty about what balance of individual, family and state responsibilities will be culturally appropriate and effective in ensuring economic security for older Africans both now and in the future. Abdorein aims to address these gaps in understanding. She provides an empirical and theoretical analysis of the micro and macro level processes that have underpinned recent declines in old age family support in African societies and likely parameters of future familial support. She also addresses more fundamental theoretical questions about how we should think about the relationships between intergenerational support, norms and values, and societal change. "Intergenerational Support in Africa" should be of interest to anyone interested in the subjects of African studies, economic policy and theory concerning elder care as well as those interested in sociology and social welfare development."--Provided by publisher.
Table of contents: title: Cover; Half Title; Title; Copyright; Dedication; Contents; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Part I. Changing Intergenerational Support for Older People: Global Debates, Questions and Approaches; 1 The Developing World Debate on Aging and Intergenerational Support: Key Concerns, Policy Challenges and Unanswered Questions; 2 Current Explanations of Declines in Old Age Family Support: Assessing Their Merit and Identifying Limitations; 3 Empirical Approaches to Developing a Fuller Understanding of Shifts in Old Age Family Support.; title: Part II. Case-Study: Nature, Causes and Consequences of Declines in Material Old Age Family Support in Urban GhanaIntroduction to the Empirical Analyses; 4 Support in the ""Past"": The Basis and Patterns of Material Old Age Family Support in the Late 1930s to 1960s; 5. From Past to Present: Nature and Causes of the Recent Support Declines and Emerging Expectations for Family Support in the Future; Part III. Theorizing Links Between Societal Change and Intergenerational Support, and Implications for Policy.; title: 6 Main Structural Drivers of Support Declines, Future Scenarios, and Implications for Policy7 Theorizing the Nature and Operation of Intergenerational Obligation Norms; Bibliography; Index.